


Re: The Promised Neverland

by Cat_of_Justice



Category: Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime), 約束のネバーランド | Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Manga)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Horror, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29342595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_of_Justice/pseuds/Cat_of_Justice
Summary: Natsuki Subaru finds himself in a younger body, in a house with 20 children and a single adult woman as it's inhabitants. Lost and confused, he will struggle to make sense of his surroundings, and as he slowly unravels the situation he finds himself in, might find more than he initially thought.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	1. 1-1 - 'Stained Red'

—Slowly being brought back to consciousness, I feel the light of day breaking through my eyelids.

Ugh, head's feeling heavy…

"-nii…"

I hear a childish, feminine voice calling, but I can't really make out who it belongs to. Petra? Did she come to wake me up again? Don't think she ever called me 'Nii' before…

"–ru-nii…"

A boyish voice calls too, and I feel a sudden weight in my stomach. Hey, who the hell's teaching Petra these things?! I'll have a stern talking to with whoever told her to do this–No, wait. Who's that other voice?

"—SUBARU-NII!"

"—GUAAAHHHH?!"

All the air that was taking housing in my lung's suddenly forced out, and I feel like I took a punch to the stomach. No way was that Petra, even though she's been getting pretty cheeky recently. She's a growing girl, after all, and I guess spending time as a maid's making her more independent. Not to mention bullying Beako, which was fun as hell.

Maybe it was that? Probably that. No, definitely that.

"…Ugh, fine, fine, I'm awake. No need to punch my gut, here…?"

Opening my eyes, I'm greeted by a ceiling.

–I don't know this ceiling…

As I stood there, looking upwards, I hear the two mystery-kids calling me again, this time in unison.

"Subaru-nii, are you ok?"

"Suba-nii, you ok? You look kinda pale."

I look down, specifically at the two children riding me like I'm a bumper car.

The girl had a luscious blonde hair, tied into a little ponytail. Her blue eyes looked at me with worry.

She looked around seven.

Following that, I see the boy a few inches taller than her, his auburn-colored hair cutting in the middle. His slightly tanned face, filled with freckles, contained a pair of sharp eyes, kinda like mine, but he still seemed concerned anyway.

Probably around eight years old. But that's not the issue. I was way more worried about something else.

Who are these kids?

__________________________________

—As I was pulled out by hand from the room filled with beds, I'm led down a set of stairs and see a large room, filled with the smell of delicious food.

"You woke up a little late again, Subaru-nii, so mama sent us to get you." The girl, whose name I didn't even know, but seemed to know me, explained gently.

"Did you stay up studying late again, Baru-nii? We get that you wanna get good grades more, now that you're 11, but Lisa and me's gotta wake you up every time, so try getting to sleep earlier–OW OW OW MY EAR'S BEING RIPPED APART STOP-" He asks for mercy as his ear reddens from being pulled by the girl(She's Lisa, apparently), to no avail.

"Subaru-nii's always studied hard, unlike you, Roy, so you can't tell him to stop just because you're a lazy bum!" Lisa says so, but I don't remember what I'm studying for. Heck, I don't even remember studying.

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry! So forgive me, have merc– IT'S RIPPING APART OH GOD-"

...He seems to be in a lot of pain –Wait, did I just hear tearing?

"Aaaand that's enough of that, now." An incredibly tall, White-haired woman, comes from seemingly out of nowhere, and grabs both children by the back of their necks, like kittens.

Well, she's just grabbing their white shirts, though.

"M-Mama, you s-saved m-me… *sob*…ugh, I'll never hear the same way…" Roy says, in-between sobs, as he rubs his left ear. He acted all rebel-like, but I guess he's the type that's soft on the inside.

Or maybe he was just that scared of Lisa. Hell, I'd be scared too.

–Looking closely, I saw some numbers written on the left side of their necks. Tattoos?

But why numbers?

"Now, now, what have I told you about fighting this early in the morning, Lisa, Roy?" The woman calmly reproaches, in a maid-like tone. Reminds me of Frederica.

I couldn't help but stare at her colorless hair for a second or two more than needed.

It tugged at my mind.

"But Mama, I don't see what I did wrong?" Lisa says, her innocent expression betraying any of her previous actions.

"…" The woman's face twitches for a second, and I see a dark glint in her eyes.

I'm sure that's a good signal. Before the children notice, she sighs her frustration away and continues.

"What you did was very wrong, Lisa. Goodness, you pulled so hard one would think his brains would come out along with his ear!" She explains. Well yeah, lady, but what with how you phrased it, she'd–

"Mama, Roy has no brain to begin with, so that's nothing to worry abo–" Yep, as I thought.

"Now listen 'ere." 'Mama' wore a still smile, her face darkening as an intimidating aura took over the atmosphere. Lisa froze in fear, Roy froze in fear, every other kid in the room froze in fear.

…it's that kind of situation.

"Forgive me, Mother."

"Mother, I ask for your mercy."

Both victim and perpetrator take a similar stance, being dropped down by the woman, and bow.

"LIKE HELL YER GETTIN' AWAY WITH A LIL' "SORRY", BRATS!" She dashes after the duo, their tears left shining in the air.

"…What the hell was that?" I ask no one in particular, but surprisingly enough, someone answers me.

"I see it's the usual affair this morning too, isn't it, Subaru?" A girl, around Petra's age, comes over and says so. Her black hair, a familiar sight in japan but not as much in Lugunica, was long enough to reach her elbows. Her pale face, wearing round glasses that accentuates her black eyes, made her seem sophisticated and mature, well, as mature as a 10-year old can look.

"…?" She pauses after looking at my face. After some seconds, she grinned teasingly.

"...You're quite silent this morning. Being calm isn't like you, did you catch some fatal disease?" She had bite, but she definitely wasn't Ram.

She didn't belittle my very existence yet, after all.

No, that's not the issue.

It isn't. It isn't. It isn't.

It isn't.

She wasn't Ram.

I don't see Julius.

I don't see Meili.

I don't see Anastasia.

I don't see Ram.

I don't see Beatrice.

I don't see Rem.

I don't see Emilia–

"–Where am I?" I grab the girl by the shoulders. I ignore her surprised face.

"...S-Subaru?"

"Hey, where am I?" I ask again. She doesn't respond.

"–That…That question doesn't make sense. We've lived here–"

"Where am I?!" I yell, unable to hold back.

I don't have time for this shit!

"—Where's Emilia?! Where's Rem?! Where's Beatrice?!" She doesn't answer.

"S-Subaru?... You're…scaring me." No.

Nonononononononononononono.

That's not the answer I want.

That isn't…

…THAT ISN'T–

"–ANSWER ME!"

I can't think straight. Something's eating away at my brain, and it's forcing it's way in. But I can't remember.

"WHERE'S EMILIA?!"

I scream again. My vision was blurry. I couldn't help it. I didn't know what was happening, and I can't remember well, but it's never good.

So please, don't look so confused.

Don't say what I think you'll say.

I don't need this. Don't want it.

If you tell me that…

If you tell me that–

"…I-I don't know who Emilia is." She says, her eyes wide open.

…

…

My hands limp out, and I fall on my knees.

"...T-There's only 20 of us here, and I'm pretty sure no one called Emilia ever lived with us."

Her expression changes from fear to worry.

But that doesn't matter to me.

"…Subaru, you look tired. I'm sure you've just had a weird dream while you read again." She grabs my hand, and leads me somewhere, but I don't care.

I sit on something.

" Joshua, can you bring me…" Her voice trails off. Rather, I can't hear her anymore. A loud buzz takes over my sense of hearing.

As I look blankly at nothing in particular, I see a sudden reflection.

A reflection of a face I saw long ago, but twisted with exhaustion and darkened eyelids.

I see. That's–

Before I can finish that thought, I feel an object invade my neck.

My breathing is interrupted.

Air can no longer be felt.

My mouth is filled with water–no, it tastes like metal.

Aaah, I see.

With my own hands.

With my own will.

Without even realizing, I–

I stabbed my own throat.

I hear someone scream. I can't see clearly, but I'm sure that if there where children close to me, they'd be stunned into silence.

I can only see the plate, filled with food that will never be eaten. As I looked at that tired reflection, I've realized that it was me.

Now that I though about it, I was wearing that white uniform, too.

It's probably stained, now.

My mind's fading. I won't last for much longer.

But I don't care, as long as it takes me to her.

A familiar feeling embraces me.

I died.

__________________________________

–The familiar sensation of being pulled, and then–

__________________________________

–As my hazy consciousness takes shape once more, I remember.

"–Damn, she just keeps coming, doesn't she?!" I sidestep, dodging the beam of light that almost decapitated me.

On one corner, stood myself, Beako, and Meili, with a horde of Mabeasts at her side.

Against us, was Shaula, the one safekeeping the Pleiades watchtower, turned into an enormous scorpion, colored deep black with glowing red eyes.

At the front lines, Beatrice and I dodged the incoming light beams, being shot from the stinger Shaula now possessed at the end of a large, shelled tail.

I'd say a professional baseball player would throw a ball as fast as those beams where travelling, but the distance and my reaction time where good enough for me to safely avoid them.

Meili prepares her horde of flying demon beasts for an attack, but realizing this, the scorpion hardens her shell in preparation.

"–Guess she won't fall for the same trick twice, huh?!" I say, looking at Meili. She nods my way, before ordering one of her Mabeasts to attack

Flames of hell roar as the terrifying creature known as the Gabaou interrupts Shaula's defence, attacking her as flames envelop them both.

–But before the Scorpion can be melted fully–

"Now, that would be enough." A feminine voice calmly declares, as if matter-of-factly. And at the same time, that towering, horse-legged beast simply–

–Simply vanished, as if was never there to begin with.

"-Huh…?" I can't help but let my voice out. How could I not? Gabaou, along with it's flames, and even Shaula, gone without a trace. I can't even tell if they're dead, nothing remained.

"…W-What?" Meili muttered, her eyes wide open. Beatrice couldn't even say anything before we heard footsteps approaching, calling our attention to one specific person in the entire room.

"A child, A Great Spirit, and the Hero known as Natsuki Subaru. This is our first meeting, I believe." She spoke formally, without betraying any malice, and yet I could instinctively tell this was an incredibely dangerous person.

Hair the color of platinum, a childish stature and disposition. Eyes a piercing dark-blue, and a motionless smile, which shows no real emotion whatsoever. She was unbelievably beautiful, but if beauty could kill, we'd all be dead.

No doubt about it. This girl…

…She felt like a witch!

"–Subaru!" Beatrice shouted, calling my thoughts back to reality. That girl, she just made Shaula– No, can't think about that now!

"Beatrice, let's go!" "Right, I suppose!" I grab her back up, and we run for Meili. That woman, she wasn't something we could face! We had to get out of here no-

"But Subaru Natsuki stood in place." She stated, yet again, as if it was a fact, and even though I was running moments ago-

–I was standing where I was before, a few feet away from the woman.

This, what the hell was happening?! Wh-What kind of power was this?!

"Betelgeuse, Regulus, Sirius, and now the siblings of Gluttony, as well? So many souls that where destroyed by you, and yet…No retribution comes your way. But no more."

Her expression remained the same.

But raw wrath was hiding underneath.

"I can no longer allow you to interfere in such matters."

"SUBARU–!" Beatrice yells for me, but it's too late, for the woman had already begun to speak–

"Who are you talking to, little one? After all…"

"Natsuki Subaru never existed in this world, to begin with."

__________________________________

My eyes open and I'm greeted by a ceiling I've seen before.

"…I remember now…" I mutter out to no one in particular.

My right hand reaching for my forehead. As it travels down my face, I feel a certain wetness streaming down my cheeks.

"…Subaru-nii?" I look down, and I see Lisa beside my bed, looking worried, along with Roy.

And a part of me breaks.

\- - -

Fixed some grammar, could've sworn I fixed all this already. Did some minor edits. Formatting's a pain, so please wait till I'm free from using a phone for this.

Had this sitting on my files for a while, I decided to go back to it, give it a reebot and see if I can put my thoughts into practice. Hope y'all enjoy!


	2. 1-2 - 'foreboding'

–Ignoring the laughing voices of the children watching the young duo, Lisa and Roy, being scolded by the White-haired woman, I open the kitchen's drawer. The woman is too busy running after the two to notice me, so there are no interruptions. That black-haired girl glances at me for one second, but quickly goes back to talking with a brown-haired boy who seemed about her age.

I leave the room, and return to the place I always wake up in. Sitting on the bed, I raise my head upwards. It’s easier to do it this way.

—I don’t want to let any children see this.

I thrust the knife, aiming for my own throat.  
The pain assails me as I feel it tear through my neck, and sooner enough blood begins spilling out, dirtying the sheets red.

As I drown in my own blood, I look towards the ceiling.

Please, make it so I never see it again—

__________________________________

—The familiar sensation of being pulled, and then—

__________________________________

“–Subaru-nii!!!” I hear a familiar, childish voice.

—Damn it.

I feel the weight of two children above my stomach. Opening my eyes, I’m greeted by a smiling Lisa and Roy.  
This is the fifth time I go through this situation.

__________________________________

I’m dragged out of the bedroom, though this time I actually take the time to change from the pajamas I’m always wearing when I wake up.  
Of course, I’d end up seeing the young duo have their comedy routine, which is interrupted by 'Mama'. Said Mama berates Lisa for pulling Roy’s ear, and then threatens them out of anger.

“…I’m not one to talk, but isn’t this kind of counter-productive?” I mutter, too exhausted to bother with appearances.

…Then she sends some of that wrath my way. Me and my big mouth.

“And don’t even think I’ve forgotten about you, mister!” The beast howls, warning its prey. Honestly, I think she’s exaggerating a bit here. Maybe she’s the Short-tempered kind.

“How many times do I have to tell you?!” I don’t know whether it’s because she saw how effective ear pulls are, courtesy of Lisa, or if it’s the other way around, but I find mine to be a target of her pinching fury.

Ow.

“–Don’t. Stay. Up. LATE!!!” Jesus, you pull the ear up and then yell into it? What a hellish Mom-Move.

“I get that you want to get good grades, but sleeping too late is bad for your health.” She pauses, sighing all the while.

“…It really feels like this happens every morning. It can’t be good for my complexion to be this stressed, right?” she sets her palms on her cheeks and massages them, looking worried.

So these things happen every day? I’m kinda amazed that I fell into a routine I didn’t even know I had. As if remembering something, ‘Mama’ Crouches down to my size and looks me in the eye, her expression worried.

“Subaru, I don’t know why you’re so worried about studying, but please, take better care of yourself. You run about every day, playing with the other children. It’s not good for you, physically, to sleep less when you exert yourself so much.” She says, motherly warmth flowing through every word.

“…Understood.” I don’t really know what’s happening. So I say whatever comes to mind.

I really didn’t feel like thinking right now.

I wasn’t capable of it.

If I did, all I’d do is regret. Endlessly.

__________________________________

“You’re quieter than normal today, Subaru. Did you catch some fatal disease?” The black-haired girl teases me again.  
Since I didn’t make a beeline for the drawer this time, I guess I’ll have to kill this conversation.

“...I am? Probably just hungry.” I forcefully smile, giving a half-assed excuse.

“Well, lucky you, we managed to save your plate this time!...Well, it’s a little cold. And I may have stolen some tomatoes. But hey, I gave you my peas. Beggars can’t be choosers!” Damn, do you have to fight for your food here? Talk about Dog-eat-dog.

“Thanks. I’ll go get the fork.” I turn around, and like clockwork, easily locate the knife, once again.

Now.

Now all I have to do is kill myself again.

At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

I keep thinking that if I just do it enough, some force outside my control will just take pity on me and send me back.

Hell, If that can’t happen, I wouldn’t mind being fucking put down for real.

‘But, I know.’ A voice at the back of my head utters.

Something like that never happens. It was the cold, harsh reality I've dealt with time and time again.

I know that such convenient things never happen. There was never a moment I’ve spent here not knowing how it goes, deep down.

Even though my mind can't phathom not holding onto that shred of hope.

Because I was so close to breaking.

But, even in this state, I knew.

Such a soul-saving, dreamlike situation…

…Will never happen to someone useless like me—

“…Damn it.” I slowly put the knife back in it’s place. I push the wooden drawer back to where it was.

And I fall to my knees. Putting my hand in front of my eyes, I just…

I just cry out.

Without them.

Without them, I’m nothing.

I can’t stand up, I can’t put that though front, I can’t even find the strength to go on.

I’m such a piece of shit.

“—Subaru?”

“…huh?” I look up to my right.  
It’s the black-haired girl.

“—?” She looks confused.

Oh. Oh damn. Right, your eyes get red when you cry.

I felt kind of bad for her. I’ve seen that kind of confusion before.

You don’t really know what to do when someone just starts crying out of nowhere.

“H-hey, are you okay?” She sits next to me.

“Did you cut yourself?”

“…Nah. I’m alright.” I lie.

“I, I think I just need to breathe some fresh air.”

__________________________________

“Mama doesn’t really like it when we leave the house right after eating, but since you haven’t touched your plate, it’s probably fine.” She winks at me. What a mischievous girl, it’s throwing me off the ‘bookworm’ vibes her looks give.

“…Thanks, I really owe you one.” I really did. I wasn’t really thinking good enough, so when she actually led me outside, I felt kinda thankful.

By the way, Wow.

An open field, cut grass allowing for the wind to flow and leave a refreshing smell coming from a nearby forest.

A Wooden house that exhumed homely comfort placed neatly on a small hill.

It was perfect for children. Heck, it’s a perfect place altogether. Everything here screamed ‘made for comfort'.

That’s why I felt strange. It’s too perfect.

It’s like it was made by hand. Artificial.

It brought to mind only one possible question. For the first time, I clearly ask myself:

Where the hell am I?

“I’ll be going back in now. Mama might realize that we’re both gone, and I don’t want to be teased as well.” Adjusting her glasses, she waves at me.  
“Why don’t you take a break under your Tree? I’m sure you’ll want to, before everyone else comes out and jumps on you again.”

__________________________________

Of course, I don’t know which Tree was ‘mine’ to begin with.

I wasn’t going to just stand still.

I won’t ever give up going back to Lugunica.

Right now, I was walking through the dense foliage of the woods. This was good, I had the time to collect my thoughts. My head felt like an utter mess, But I can't stay like this.  
Even though I have no idea what to do, and was just grasping at straws.  
I couldn't allow myself to stop believing there was a chance to return.

It hurts, but Returning by Death won't help me now...

...I was trying to figure out how far this forest went, as well. From the house, I could see it cutting off at some point, but I felt I needed to see it myself.

That’s what I tell myself, but I guess it’s like that girl said. I also just wanted to be alone for a while.

“…But, daaaamn, isn’t it kinda dangerous for kids to have all this space right on their backyard?” During my Rebel years, I remember going to some woods close to where I lived with some friends.

We immediately got lost, and by raw luck managed to find some dude with a phone who was doing some work close by. The entire thing scared us to hell and back, and I’m pretty sure it was around that time I got so reckless my friends started to stop hanging out with me.

…Not my best moment.

“–No, wait, now’s not the time for embarrassing flashbacks! Leave that for when you’re trying to go to sleep.” I shake off the memories of my youthful stupidity, and think about my situation.

First of all, I wasn’t really thinking about this, but I…  
“…I went back to being younger, right?”

That’s right. For starters, I was about as tall as the waist of that ‘Mama’, and taking out that brown-haired kid, I was the tallest in that place.  
So I’m probably around 11.

“Ugh, Do I have to go through puberty again?” Pimples sucked.  
I don’t know why I got younger, but I’m pretty sure I won’t be figuring that out anytime soon either, so I’ll leave that one for later.

Second of all, I still have Return by Death.

I hate thinking about it, but I’m pretty sure I got kicked out by that Witch, and for all I know she might’ve erased all the time I’ve spent in Lugunica. I don’t know how her power works, after all. Did it take all her orders literally?

But I still remember everything, and Satella still helps me.

Does that mean I’ve kept some things from my time in Lugunica? What about Authorities and Magic?  
...I don’t want to explode into a cloud of magical darkness again, so I won’t be shamak’ing anytime soon.

Third question: I was kicked out, but why wasn’t I sent back to Earth? What is this place?  
I ended up in some weird place, I’m not even sure what’s happening.

Probably a side effect of that Witch’s power.

A bunch of kids in white uniforms, with strange Numbers written on their necks, living in the middle of a forest with a single caretaker?

Something was strange. Did she go out to get food? Alone? Leaving all those kids in the house? Imagine how many supplies she’d have to buy. I learned how rough it is to take care of a place, I was the butler of a clown’s unnecessarily large-scale mansion, after all.

“…Well, I’ll at least see if that last one has an answer.” Right now, actually.  
If there was a village nearby, Assumedly a place to buy said supplies, I could actually start planning out a way to leave that house and start looking for a way back.

I could see a clearing up ahead.  
Approaching it, I feel sunlight blocking my vision—

“–Damn, it’s hard to seeeeeooooAAAAAA-“ I trip on a tree, falling headfirst into the floor. Thankfully, I managed to protect my face from kissing the dirt.

“…Wait, why is it suddenly so dark?” I’m covered by something blocking the light. A tree?

I look up, without thinking anything in particular.

And what I see, is beyond anything I was expecting.

It wasn’t a Tree. It wasn’t a Rock.

It wasn’t even a fence.

A giant, lumbering wall of concrete stood strongly still, blocking any sunlight from beyond it.

It was as tall as the Trees that it surrounded.

Looking at it’s length, it seemed to go on, indefinitely.

Completely isolating anything from getting in.

Or from leaving.

And, at that moment.

Every single instinct within me. Every experience I’ve had with danger.

Was screaming at me.

‘Something was completely, utterly wrong in this place.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Porting these to ao3 is fairly easy. I'm liking this site so far.


	3. 1-3 - 'Life with the Happy Orphanage Family'

"—Ah, Suba-nii's over there!" A young girl with tanned skin pointed my way as I left the forest, back at the open area surrounding the Wooden House.

It was already afternoon by the time I came back. Around half an hour to get to the wall, another to get back, I guess.

"Ah, Baru-nii!" "Big bro's here!" "Subaru-nii! Let's play hide-and-seek again!" As the children turn my way, the chatter begins to increase.

They where waiting for me? And Jesus, that's a lot of kids.

...This reminded me, I completely forgot to question this, but...

Why did these kids know me?

For some weird reason, I was turned back to when I was younger, and all of a sudden I have twenty kids calling me their older brother.

Was this also because of that Platinum-haired girl's ability?

...Well, thinking about everything wasn't going to help me, now.

I was stuck here.

That wall was way too high, and way too straight for me to climb. It completely rejected any hope I built up.

"Hey, let's play!" "Suba-nii, read for meeee~!" "Hide-and-seek, Hide-and-seek!" Before I've even realized, I was surrounded by kids, each begging for me to do something different with them.

Honestly, it's surreal. I've just gone through a very similar situation, but the uncanniness of it all was still present. Being treated so familiarly, when you don't really know the one you're talking with. That entire episode of amnesia back at the Tower was terrifying to look back to.

"Now, now, everyone, Subaru and I have to talk." The glasses-girl appears, shoo'ing the kids away.

"Haha, Suba-nii and Marga-nee are alone again!" "It's a romance! Romance!" "Subaru-nii's mine, Margaret-nee!" "Good luck, Bro!"

So Margaret's her name.

I wanted to know that for a while, but I couldn't just ask what her name was.

Man, at least I'm lucky when it comes to this.

Margaret goes red, and immediately gets angry.

"Sh-Shut up, you guys! Thomas's gonna be there too! Ugh, every time..." She starts fiddling with her glasses.

These kids are very playful, huh? reminds me of elementary.

"A-Anyway, let's go!!!" She grabs my wrist, and channels all of her embarrassment into a steel grip. Jesus, are the girls here just unaware of how much these things hurt?!? Never mind an ear, I'll be losing an arm here!

She drags me to a lone tree in the back of the house, where the brown-haired, tall boy I've seen her talking to before waited.

"Yo, bro." He raises his hands, a slight smile on his face.

"Oh, y-yo, dude." He's kinda tall for a kid around eleven.

'Bro'? Wait, I feel like I've been through this before...

"—Hey, how old are you, Thomas?"

"Eh? I'm a year younger than you, Man. I'm ten, how'd you forget?"

"I KNEW IT!!!" Man, Another Garfiel scenario?!

—No no no, wait. now's not the time for that.

"...Geez, you two. Stop playing around."

"Eh? I dunno, Marga, that was a weird question y'know? You sure he's not sick?"

"...Well, he might be. That's what we're here to talk about."

...Yeah, right. Of course she'd be worried, no one just breaks down crying like that for no reason.

What the hell should I say?

"...So, did you get better, Subaru?" She turns to me, her face changing from exasperation to genuine concern.

She's a really nice girl, huh?

I'm sorry, looks like I'll be lying to you a lot while I'm here.

"...Yeah, I think it's outta my system! Sorry for worrying you." I scratch the back of my head, trying to look somewhat embarrassed.

Maybe if I'm lucky, she'll—

"That's good to hear, but why where you crying? We rarely see you like that. Is something on your mind?"

—Yep, no use hoping for that, huh?

Welp, better run that fragile brain of yours dry, Natsuki Subaru. Something I can say to justify that...

...I got nothing.

Hoooo boy.

"I-I stubbed my toe? H-hahaha..."

damn it, I'm a fucking dumbass.

"...Haaaaaaaah." She takes her glasses off, and rubs the bridge of her nose.

Thomas seems to notice the silence, and decides to comment.

"That's it? Yeah, I can relate. I keep hitting my toes on every corner I come close to."

Oh, wow. Not even I believed my own lie, but this dude did? I don't have any right to say this, but how oblivious is this guy?

"Thomas, be quiet for a moment." Looks like 'Marga-nee' is running out of patience.

Thomas seems puzzled, but obeys anyway.

"...Subaru."

"Y-yes?"

"Is it something you're too embarrassed to talk about?"

Oh, man, that's perfect! I don't think she'll ask more about it if I say yes.

"Y-Yeah. Sorry about that." Please let this conversation end. I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

"...Well, I don't know if I should ask about it, but..."

The mood changes. Thomas's expression changes, as well. Why where they so nervous, out of a sudden?

—And why did they look so sad?

"...Is it about Agatha?"

... Who's Agatha?

Is she one of the kids that live here?

I wasn't able to hide my confusion, but she took my silence as a 'Yes'.

"...I can't believe it's almost been a month, already. I miss her little smile..." Margaret's expression was melancholic. Thomas looks away.

...So something happened to her?

—Did she...

"But you said it yourself, Subaru." She turns to me.

I had no words to say. I couldn't lie about something like that.

It wouldn't be right.

"You said, 'Even if we're separated now, the time she's spent with us isn't gone.' It... really helps us when you do that, you know?"

...I never went through any of that."...I wonder how she's doing, now?"

"—Wait, wha?" I accidentally say that outloud.

She's... she's not dead?

"Well, we never really knew who adopted her. I'm sure she's happy, though! She'll get to be part of a new family, like she did with us." Margaret scratches here cheek, embarrassed.

Adopted? So, This place...

It's an orphanage?That...does explain the 20 or so children that I've seen here. And the age difference.

"So Bro was hiding how he missed her?" Thomas pulls the topic back, since the conversation was going off.

"...Was that it, Subaru?" She turns to me.

"I know you're the oldest one of all of us, so you try to look cool, but it's fine if you feel like that." She smiles.

"Yeah, man. Don't hold it all back in." Thomas grins as well.

I didn't want to use this the way I'm going to. They clearly cared a lot about this 'Agatha' girl.

But I really had no choice.

"...Yeah. Sorry I worried you two."

"It's fine, Subaru."

"Don't worry about it, Bro."

"H-hehe, it got a little awkward, huh?" Margaret breaks the silence first.

"Yeah, generally it's the other way around. Subaru ends up checking on you." Thomas comments.

"Y-Yeah, you'd think I could copy someone as simple as him, but it's harder than I thought." Hey, we're back to insults, now?

You're still a thousand light years away from facing Ram, kid.

"—Hey, by the way, what time is it, Subaru?" Huh? Am I the personal clock here?

"—Well, by the way the sun's up, it's probably around 1 PM, why?"

"Oh, no. We'll be late!" Margaret gets up, dusts off her skirt, and begins to run back to the front of the house.

What's going on?

"I don't think Mum'll be happy if we take too long, Bro. You know how it goes." Thomas seems much less worried, raising himself at his own pace.

"We'll be playing Hide-and-seek today, right? Lisa asked for it."

__________________________________

So, quick summary.

Natsuki Subaru, that being me, found himself in a wooden house at the center of a forest, housing Twenty-or-so children, most of them around 5-9 of age, not counting two. I'm also way younger than I should be. Thanks to Thomas's accidental exposition cues, I'm apparently back to being Eleven. There's also the fact that I've apparently lived with them for a while, even though I have no memory of that.

And now, I've discovered that this place is apparently an Orphanage.

Sure, that explains the kids, but it begins falling apart if you keep poking around.

For starters, it's absolutely dangerous to be housing these many children in the apparent middle of nowhere.

Aren't Orphanages generally close to a city?

There's also the weird lack of adults around here, except for the 'Mama'.

And you might say, 'But Subaru, what if there are more than one adult, and they just went out? Someone has to buy supplies, after all.' And sure, that's a good point.

But then you consider the prison wall surrounding this place. Trust me, I've followed it for a bit, and it drags on. That's absolutely unnecessary. There's easier ways to keep kids from straying too far.

That's like using a Master Ball on a Pidgey. It's completely overqualified.

That thing has some purpose.

'Orphanage'? Yeah, right...

And, trust me, I'd be spending every second I had right now running my brain dry, trying to figure these things out, if I wasn't in a very confusing situation, right now.

" " "—VICTORY!!!" " "

A vigorous shout, coming from many kids, and an incredibly out-of-place Woman, as they finish a satisfying morning calisthenics routine. You know, It'd be nice if I could have like five minutes to catch my breath, here.

I just did a one-hour long jog through a forest!

"Aaaah, feels good!" 'Mama' stretches her arms, a satisfied smile on her face.

"All right, Everyone! For our daily playtime game, We'll be playinnnnnnng..." Is she trying to build up anticipation?

"HIDE-AND-SEEK!!!"

"YES!"

"Aw, man, I wanted to play tag."

"Can we play Dodge-ball tomorrow?"

"Heh, I'll bet I can last longer than you, Joshua!"

"I-I'll win this time, Yuki, you'll see!"

The kids go into uproar. Most are excited, some wanted to play something else, I even see a girl that's apparently japanese, like me, teasing a boy called Joshua. Well, with so many kids, I'd love to play if I was their age, too.

...Wait, I am their age, now.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm~!" Lisa apparently managed to survive her encounter with 'Mama' this morning, and was humming to herself. She's probably happy that she gets to play the game she asked for. I don't think Roy's the same, though, he seemed all tuckered out.

After the Calisthenics, he was on the ground, full-on Yamcha.

Rest in peace, Roy. May your next life be free from girls that rip your ears off!

"All right, settle down, settle down!" The caretaker calls out to everyone, and they all respond with a 'Yes!' in unison.

"Rules are the same as always!" Hands on her hips, her voice was comedically serious.

"Don't go too far into the forest! If the Seeker finds you, you won't be caught until they touch you! And if you're caught, you have to help them find the others!"

"Don't think it'll be as easy to find me this time, Subaru!" Margaret looked way too serious, it was actually kinda scary.

"If he doesn't find you, I probably will, Marga." Thomas joked around.

"N-no! I'm serious today! It's basically impossible to get me! Just give up now, ok?!" Did she lose in Hide-and-seek that much?

Sorry, but you're looking at a hide-and-seek champion. I'm so good at it, my friends once completely gave up on finding me!

'Mama' continues talking.

"...Of course, the first Seeker will be.. "

Wait, what's going on?

What's with this weird Aura I'm feeling?

"Me!"

Hey, isn't that unfair?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more, now it's catched up with my FF.net version. Working on a new chapter!
> 
> By the way, I take any input I get, so if you feel like my story's lacking in some way, or just want to say that you enjoy it, I'll be happy to hear it.


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